A thousand and one night
by cheerlygal
Summary: AU One-shot Squall/Rinoa. Based loosely on the Mandrain music video and song 'Yi Qian Ling Yi Ye'. A chance trip to a museum leads Squall to a discovery to his past live, as well as a promise to Rinoa that he would be back for her.


**A thousand and one night**

I am back after all the break from writing! I know I have RinoaElla that I had not finished up but this AU one shot just came out when I was watching a music video.

As this is a AU one shot, Squall and Rinoa will be OOC and character development will be almost nonexistent, I think. Oh, and the plot wise, I guess can be shaky as well since it was a last minute thing that I had came up with.

The whole scene is loosely based on the music video I had watch. If you want to take a look or want to get more understanding of the story that I had written, type youtube dot com and type this behind

/watch?v=vWtTff3fF5E&feature=related

I tried putting the link but the first half always don't show up! Sorry about that!

The music is mandarin and is called 'yi qian ling yi ye' but the whole scene kind of reminded me of Squall and Rinoa that I just had to write this! Sorry again for the major OCC! Enjoy!

* * *

"All right class, any more question regarding about the museum? If not, feel free to roam around until the closure at 6pm. Thank you and have a nice day" Cid Kramer, the curator of the Esthar National Museum, had just ended his another tour of the museum to the undergraduate class of Esthar University.

As Cid went back to his office located at the back of the museum, he noticed that one of the students of the class, was looking at the gun blade displayed with intense curiosity. He was about to reach out to touch when Cid quickly stopped him.

"Sorry, no touching of exhibition. But do you want to know anything?"

Squall Leonhart was surprised when he heard a man talking to him. During his tour, he can't help but drawn to this gun blade on display. And something inside him just want to touch it but was stopped by the curator himself.

"Oh, I am sorry. I did not know what come through me. This gun blade, what is the history like?"

Smiling at the boy's curiosity, Cid answered

"This gun blade is known as the Lionheart. It was rumor that this gun blade was once held by the legendary knight known as the lionhearted. It was said that he went to a war to defend his sorceress who was being misunderstood by the people. The day he came back was the day the sorceress held him the last time. Apparently, something went wrong and gravely injured, he managed to come back for her. No one know what happen except that this gun blade was left behind. And for the next decades, people live in fear that the sorceress would come back for revenge but it never came. Now, more than a century had passed and I doubt she would come back anyway. After all, sorceresses had a normal lifespan, despite their great power."

Clearing his throat, Cid continued "And that reminds me that I have to clean this gun blade. Don't want to get this historical piece rusty. Enjoy your remaining trip!" And with that, Cid went away, leaving Squall behind.

"Yo! Squall" Zell ran towards him.

"Are you done, we will be going to the movie afterwards!"

"I am fine, you guys go ahead, I have…something to do" Squall said and left, leaving the confused Zell behind.

"But, you just agree to watch the movie with us…" Zell mutter to no one in particular. Decide that Squall was not having a good mood, Zell left him to be and went to join the class.

* * *

Meanwhile, Squall followed the curator and saw that he went inside his office, which he leave his door partially open. Sneaking inside, he was amazed by the amount of books inside that it could be open up as a mini library for historian.

Silently creeping through the shelves, he suddenly had a feeling that someone was watching him and blink when he saw a girl looking at him. Blinking again, the girl was gone. Was he imagining? Shaking his head, he watched at Cid clean the gun blade till the blue blade shine. Smiling to himself, Cid leave the gun blade on his table and left the room, perhaps to close the museum since it was nearly 6pm.

Grabbing the chance, Squall went towards the table and picked the gun blade up, surprised at how light and how…familiar that this gun blade feels.

Suddenly, he was overwhelm by flashbacks and a sense of foreboding.

'_Please don't go. You know that the people don't listen to reasons now'_

"_I have to. As your knight, I have the duty to keep you safe.'_

'_Promise that you will be back'_

"_Take this ring. It was my family heirloom.'_

"_Even for thousand and one night, I will wait for you…Squall'_

'_I promise. Rinoa'_

Shaking his head once again, Squall was confused and disturbed by the image that he just seen. It seems that this was part of his memories instead of just flashback.

Turning to his side, he realised that it was the same girl who was looking at him. Putting the gun blade aside, he decided to walk towards her. Instead of feeling afraid, Squall felt that he knew this girl and went towards her as she smiled sadly at him.

Reaching out to her seems like a second nature to him when he saw another flash back…

'_I came back, like I promise' Squall said_

'_No, not like this.' Rinoa cried as she held him in her arms. When she felt Squall came back through her bond, she was delighted. However, it felt strange and she realised that Squall was slipping away by the seconds_

'_A promise is a promise. But at least, you are safe now. No one will know where you are and no one can used me…against you' As he speak, Squall could feel that his life force was slipping away_

'_Promise me, that you will be true to yourself. And I will find a way to come back to you, I promise'_

_And with that, Squall closed his eyes. With a cry, the sorceress Rinoa released a spell that only known to them. And when the people managed to find the place where the sorceress lives, all they can find was a gun blade used by the knight. Could they be hiding somewhere and wait for the right time to strive, no one knows…_

"Are you alive or dead" Squall asked, the memories that he saw, he could not understand. Was he, in his past live, the knight that swore to protect the sorceress?

"You came back, after all those years. The spell works after all" Rinoa smiled and gave him a ring.

Squall reached out for her but she seems to be getting farther away when he tried to reach for her until she just disappear out of sight.

* * *

As Squall stood rooted to the ground staring at the ring, he can't help but to wonder if he was too tired from all his late night at school or that he really met a spirit.

When he heard footsteps, he knew that Cid was coming back. But to his surprise, instead of the gun blade, a feather rest in the place at the table and Squall was suddenly afraid that he would be accused of stealing. After all, how could you prove that spirit exists? Hiding behind the shelves, he look at Cid reaction. But instead, Cid smiled when he took the feather and said

"So, you found your knight." And he tugged it into his pocket and walked away,

Feeling disturbed by the whole event, Squall wanted to ask clearly what had happened. He followed Cid into the museum main hall when a familiar voice call Cid

"Uncle Cid!"

Smiling at the girl who ran towards him, Cid open up his arms to greet her in a gentle hug. However, Squall who was behind him almost fainted. This was the same girl from the office!

"Hi Rinoa! Found anything interesting in the storeroom?" Cid asked.

"Oh! You cannot believe it! But I found this necklace that was said to belong to the lost knight! Am I lucky?"

"Oh yes! And by the way, I think this boy over here found the ring!" Cid answered, indicting Squall behind.

What the hell? Had Cid really knew something all along? He don't get it? But this girl looked awfully liked the ghost he had just seen that he virtually got nothing to say.

Looking at the strange guy, Rinoa held up her hand and said

"I am Rinoa Heartilly. I am the intern at this museum and I was named after the sorceress Rinoa since I was born exactly hundred years on her date of birth!"

Deciding that she was human all right, Squall held up his hand and said, "Squall Leonhart. And are you…related to her in any ways?

Raising her eyebrow at the strange but cute stranger, Rinoa can't help but felt drawn to him. However, he did have a weird question and she tried her best to answer him.

"No, not that I know of. Oh, and Cid mentioned that you got the ring! May I take a look?"

Glaring at Cid, who had a knowing smile at his face, Squall handed the ring over to her and Rinoa took out the necklace for him to take a look. And the split seconds both of them touch, another memories came to mind,

"_Do you want to save your knight my child?" Looking up, Rinoa saw a lady with long dark hair and dress._

"_Yes, more than anything!"_

"_Cast this spell my child. Over the years, I finally found a sorceress and her knight so devoted to each other. However, you have to give up your power"_

"_Anything! It was this cursed power that separate us! After I am gone, I pray that no girls will suffer my fate!"_

_Smiling at her, Edea continued._

"_But, your part of your soul will be trapped in this place till your knight comes and find you again. And both of you have no recollection of what happens till both of you meet again."_

"_It does not matter! I believe we can find each other. For a thousand and one night, I will wait for him. Please! What is the spell?"_

"_And the spell is called…Rebirth!"_

_And with a new surge of energy, Rinoa concentrated all her power to cast the spell said to be one of the most powerful life spell ever. And with that, both of them disappear, leaving the gun blade behind…_

* * *

Looking at each other and finally found their memories, Squall and Rinoa gave each other a tight hug .

"For a thousand and one night Squall…"

"For a thousand and one night Rinoa" he echoed.

Looking at each other, they turned to look at Cid and were surprised to find him gone. Looking around, they finally saw Cid, his back to them.

"Finally, my duty is done! You can't believe how long I waited for both of you! In case you wonder, I was the knight to the sorceress that saved both of you. Her name is Edea. Hyne taught her to pass on the Rebirth spell for those who deserved it after what had happened to us. But that will be another story."

Turning towards them he continued,

"Good bye! I am going to be back to my sorceress. Treasure your time together!"

And with that, he disappeared.

"Hey Squall! The museum is about to close! And who is that girl you are holding hands with?" Zell, asked, surprised.

Smiling at Rinoa, Squall said,

'Come Zell, meet Rinoa. She is my girlfriend."

"Oh Squall, you got lots to explain to us!" Zell said, excited and curious at the same time.

Nodding his head, Squall, Rinoa and Zell head out to the museum. It does not matter to them how they were going to explain to their friends because finally, they were back together, forever.

* * *

A/N: I hope you had enjoyed it! Any feedbacks and thoughts are welcome! I read through a few times before submitting so any grammar, spelling or whatever mistakes that I had unknowingly miss out. I apologized! Anyone willing to be my beta reader?


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